New Zealand’s Matt Henry celebrates taking the wicket of England’s Jordan Cox on day five of the Second Rothesay Test cricket match between England and New Zealand in London, England, on June 21, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
Matt Henry had some making up to do.
The senior seamer of New Zealand’s all-pace attack felt he let his team down against England in the first Test at Lord’s when back spasms on the first morning turned him into a virtual passenger.
He did rally to take a wicket but he wasn’t his usual, hard-charging, naggingly effective self.
That changed at The Oval this week.
A 10-day break between the games allowed him to fully recover and on Sunday (June 21, 2026) he was named the player of the match in New Zealand’s series-leveling win by 253 runs.
A first innings 5-80 and a second innings 6-29 gave him 11-109, the best test figures ever by a New Zealander against England and the first 10-wicket match haul in his 35-test career.
Henry finished off England inside the first hour of the fifth and final day. He pinned Joe Root on 77, becoming the first bowler to take out Root and Harry Brook twice in the same match.
The Kiwi smashed Jofra Archer’s wickets with an unplayable shooter that Archer could only smile at, got Matthew Fisher to chop on for his 150th test wicket, and Josh Tongue to edge to first slip in two successive double-wicket maidens. Jordan Cox blocked the hat-trick ball but was out trying to sweep Henry and ended the match before noon.
Henry took 5-3 in 31 balls on Sunday (June 21, 2026) and became the first bowler to take 10 wickets at The Oval since Shane Warne in the 2005 Ashes and the first pacer since Devon Malcolm in 1994 against South Africa.
“We hit the top of off on repeat,” New Zealand captain Tom Latham said. “Matt Henry is good at putting it on the mark. First innings and second, he built pressure through dot balls and getting crucial wickets. He’s been a spearhead for us for a long period, nice for him to get the results.” The 34-year-old Henry started his test career in 2015 in the shadow of Tim Southee and Trent Boult and truly emerged as they retired in the last three years.
He’s taken 80 wickets in his last 14 Tests, hitting form since the start of 2024. In that period, he’s taken seven of his eight career test 5-fors and won home series against England and South Africa, an historic series in India, and sent this series to a decider in Nottingham starting Thursday.
New Zealand has won only three series in England, in 1986, 1999 and 2021, when Henry contributed six wickets to the decisive win at Edgbaston.
After stretching his back out for 42.1 overs at The Oval, he and his fellow pacers have only four days of rest. But he’s at least making an impact, unlike at Lord’s.
“It feels bad when you let the guys down on day one,” he said. “It was great to come here and get my quota out.” Henry picked out wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for standing up to the stumps when he bowled to keep England in two minds in the crease. They pulled off an incredible heist catch against Archer.
“Having a world-class operator like Tom is huge,” Henry said. “He’s always up for it. You can’t do it unless you’ve got someone good behind the stumps. We know England like to create a flow of runs.” Henry shared the praise around.
“It’s pretty easy when you’ve got a strong bowling group. Kyle (Jamieson) and Will (O’Rourke) coming back from injuries, their character to come back the way they have. Nathan Smith going from strength to strength. You’re only as good as the strength of the group.”
Published – June 21, 2026 10:59 pm IST
